09 May 2012

May 9, 2012

Madame Chair:

As the Affirmative Action chair of the Connecticut delegation, I feel
compelled to write to you regarding the recent electoral action in the
state of North Carolina and its impact on the decision of our party to
hold the national convention in Charlotte this September.

In
November 2010, I was elected as Connecticut’s first openly gay statewide
official. I am one of a handful of LGBT people across the country to
ever be elected statewide. On that election night, as
Comptroller-elect, I remarked that as we had made electoral history, the
people of Connecticut “shrugged” – a nod to the incredible progress our
state has made toward equality, and a recognition that in this state
being gay was neither an obstacle nor a qualification for public
service. While full equality is a dream for people in many other
states, yesterday’s election results in North Carolina must give us
pause.

How can we, as a party committed to the rights and
freedom of all Americans, tacitly endorse the North Carolina vote by
marching our leadership and our President into Charlotte in September?

The advocates of a same-gender marriage ban in North Carolina have used
their constitution – once again – as an instrumentality of
discrimination. Our federal and state constitutions should only be used
to broaden rights and protections for people, not restrict them.

While it may be logistically impossible to move our location at this
late date, we must, at a minimum, have a conversation about the impact
of our presence there on our credibility and our values as a party.

I am deeply troubled that we, the party of America, find ourselves in
the position of celebrating our rich diversity in a location that now
espouses the polar opposite. Please know that I am committed to help in
any way that you deem appropriate. I am,